The University of Victoria (UVic) has taken a stand against transgender and gender-based harassment with the unveiling of two new multi-stall gender-inclusive washrooms on campus, according to the UVic Students’ Society (UVSS) website.
The gender-inclusive washrooms, unveiled Aug. 29 and housed in the UVic student union building, are the first of their kind at the university, according to UVic’s The Martlet.
Their design allows any gender to access the washrooms at the same time.
“This initiative is focused on combatting gender- and trans-based violence and harassment,” UVSS chairperson Emily Rogers said.
“A number of students in our building faced harassment on the basis of their perceived gender in both male and female washrooms. We strongly feel that all students deserve to access public spaces without fear of harassment or discrimination.”
To differentiate between traditional gendered washrooms and the new gender-inclusive ones, there is a posted sign indicating that they are multi-stall gender-inclusive with a picture of a toilet.
The initiative began in January 2011 by a director-at-large, whose motion was unanimously passed in a UVSS meeting, trans* rep for UVic Pride Dylyn Wilkinson said via email.
It was then spearheaded by various UVSS board of directors members, who brought it forward to the current board term, Rogers said.
Rogers notes that although the feedback has been strongly supportive and “wonderful,” there are still students uncomfortable with the new washrooms.
“A lot of the concerns that we’ve faced have been based in myth and perceptions of what dangers exist in these washrooms, but in reality those don’t exist,” she said.
Educating students on this topic has been a priority for Rogers, who says she and the UVSS are working with those who have issues to address their concerns.
Wilkinson said UVic Pride is thrilled to have the gender-inclusive washrooms installed and that the response has been generally positive.
Wilkinson noted that there are single-stall gender-inclusive washrooms in almost every building on campus, but only multi-stall ones in the student union building, which is run separately from the university by the UVSS.
“Personally, I think there should be at least one multi-stall gender-neutral washroom in every public place one would otherwise put gendered washrooms. Everyone needs a safe place to pee, fix their hair, wash their hands, or whatever else,” Wilkinson said.
Sarah Cooper, administrative co-ordinator for Carleton’s GLBTQ Centre, said she believes UVic is taking a “great step forward” to urge other universities to install multi-stall gender-inclusive washrooms.
Carleton currently has a few single-stall washrooms that the GLBTQ Centre and Equity Services worked to make inclusive by taking down the male or female signs.
“For us, having the single stall is a space that’s safe for students who don’t necessarily fit into that blue or pink box,” Cooper said.
“They can feel comfortable and safe using the washroom, and it’s free from stares and physical or verbal harassment.”
While there are single-stall gender-inclusive washrooms at Carleton, not every building has one.
“We get complaints all the time because there aren’t any in the library and you have to walk across campus just to use a washroom,” she said.
“I think that we should have multi-stall gender-neutral washrooms on campus, but I just don’t think our administration is anywhere near that right now,” Cooper said.
